Charlton fans to protest in Belgium on March 4 against club owner Roland Duchatelet

Fans of Charlton Athletic have been given permission to travel to Belgium to protest against the club's owner Roland Duchatelet.

Addicks supporters are joining forces with their counterpart at Belgian team Sint-Truiden, which is another club owned by the 70-year-old Duchatelet.

The two groups of disgruntled fans have been given the all-clear by Belgium's authorities to hold a rally, and march through the town of Sint-Truiden on Saturday, March 4.

The decision to allow the protest was announced on Tuesday and follows liaison with the Metropolitan Police in London.

Both sets of supporters are unhappy with the way the Belgian businessman runs their respective clubs and are urging Duchatelet to be more competitive or sell up.

The south London club's chief executive is Belgian lawyer Katrien Meire who has also been the target of criticism by fans.

A spokesman for Coalition Against Roland Duchatelet (CARD) said: "People are protesting because they are passionate about Charlton and angry at the long-term damage being done to the club under his ownership and Katrien Meire's management.

"We are pleased that the local authorities have recognised our right to protest in Sint-Truiden and will now work with them on the details to ensure that this is a safe but effective demonstration. We are also grateful to the Met for their help.

"Duchatelet's insistence that the protests are the work of a few dismissed former staff is self-evidently ludicrous, both in terms of the numbers demonstrating against him and the diverse range of people in CARD, Women Against the Regime and in other groups involved in the Sint-Truiden initiative, like the Belgium 20."

More than 200 Charlton fans are expected to make the journey, and supporters will leaflet the crowd at Tuesday's home match against Oxford United to encourage others to join them.

Duchatelet had earlier commented that the protesters are "a few hot heads who previously worked directly or indirectly for the club and who were shown the door due to their rebellious and rowdy attitude."

He added: "They also don't like the fact that I give Katrien Meire my support."

But CARD responded by saying: "Everybody involved is a Charlton fan of many years standing and none has ever been sacked by the club due to their rebellious and rowdy attitude.

"He either knows that this is a lie or he is being misled by other people. In either case, he should put up or shut up."

In an interview with the Daily Telegraph in 2016, Meire said: "For the last couple of months, I've had extreme abuse, I've had criminal offences committed against myself.

"We've got the most affordable season tickets, we invest in our community, we invest in our academy.

"We spend £30m in less than two years of ownership. And, yes, we got it wrong with the managers and the players, but that happens, that's why clubs get relegated."